New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-05
AN ACRE OF LAND FOR A TIE
HOW THE SIOUX CITY ROAD WAS Bull,
JOHN l. BLAIR GIVES rs HISTORY TO pAcrrm
COMMISSIONER

JOHN l. BLAIR GIVES rs HISTORY TO A PAcIvu,
COMMISSIONER.
compactly built energetic old gentleman with mi.
white hair and rudy complexion sat In the onics =,
the Pacific Railroad Company yesterday for about ,h
hours tell Commissioner Anderson the history Of ~
Sioux City Pacific Railroad. 1t John T. Blair -
Blarstown, N. j. the builder and first president Of tn
road. The Commission summoned him 10 testify la.
week. but he was detained by important Law suit n
Missouri and could obey the summons until yester
day. Although the Commission had adjourned, Mr. A
derson decided to take Mr. Bairs testimony atbough
Chairman Patterson and Commissioner Little war.
absent
Mr.. Blair Is considered of the wealfhest men n,
NewJersey. He owns village there besides one or tvs
railroads entire and interests In several othera IN.
wealth is said to be over $30,000,O0O. He IL a n
markably well-preserved man for his years In reu,v
the Commissioners opening questions he said that b.
had been building railroads assisting others 70 bul
them through his position banker. for over fortv
yeara He had been connected with the Sioux City RaaS
which from Sioux City to Fremont Nebraska about
one hundred miles ever since 1864
HISTORY OF THE COMPANY.
The line begun In July, 1885, and from that TINA
until 1872 he presidcntof the company Among hs
first directors OF the company were Morris X Jcsnp Pss
Smith, and NJ schuchardt The company was organssd
at Cedar Rapids, under the laws OF Iowa. James p wiz
son and A. W. Hubbard were among tue corpora,on but
Cakes Ames and A. W. Johnson did not in untl
later He refused be said, to begin work until enougk
money had been subscriLe to build the road indepeu
deutly Of what obtained from the Government Ths
Cedar Rapids road induced to come In and take
large amount of stock and the Iowa Construction Con-
pany Of which Mr. Blair president. subscribed is
10000 shares. At first ST. 791, 400 was paid In andaS
ward 81 900 more added-in all about 81 $4,000
paid IN cash. This was paid I'm 10 Mr. Blair and h
paid out TO the several subcontractors VINO built IL
And had voucher for every dollar paid out" SAID
tire that Destroyed our Offices e At Grand Rapids
William Walker, an engineer. now III CaIliorna, e9t
according to Mr. Bairs figures the road was built and
equipped for 81 $40 TO- the high prices
ina Mr. 30 Ss Raa the daes IN the
strctien OF the road I'VE had to pay ~ 20 apiece Tor
railroad ties AN acre Of land for tie used to be
II had 100000 acres. but at the time should have
had TO be hauled long distances. So Gid the provisions
and proveuder used There were only one OFT wo houses
Everything had to be brought with us. Then spikes
from i've to six cents pound; now they run fom
one TO two cents Iron ranged from sss to sioo tSa,
besides the freight on L. on, you nave no IDEA wAas
building railroads meant In those times"
MR.. ANDERSON AXIS MANY QUESTIONS.
The witness explained that the contract for building
the road made In 1861 between the company and
Cakes Amss and Dewkt G. Blair He, however. took
contract from them and actually did the work. 70
ceivng money and paying it out This led Mr. Ander
son TO ask several questions ia his usual style about the
books which Mr. Blair kept at the time Who had charge
OF them! Where were theyi The venerable contractor
gazed through his god-rimnsd specaces at the Comn
soner a moment and tnen. like Uncle DAME! Drew
piled Kept things in his head and did not
have much time or use for bookkeeping.
"A qure OF note paper would do all my bookkeep
ing" he added when bought thousand rails or ten
Thousand ties I received one bill aud We paid
for them then and thcre This required mighty little
figuring book keeping" .
In speaking OF the land grant to the company he said
that these OF little value the Homestead Law
falin raj tD
they sold the stockholders at - an acre ana
many would not land at this modest ngurs lie
expressed the opinion that at present the Sioux CITY
the tance OF other roads be earning tue
interest the company's bonds but nothing more
Mr. Bars examination will be continued THU morning
by Mr.. Anderson.